Campus Concerns

Procedures for retiring from the University

Before filing for retirement with the State Universities Retirement System (SURS), an employee's application should be processed through the Employee Benefit office at Human Resources. This is a very important step that is often overlooked during the application procedure.

Sixty to 90 days prior to retirement, an employee should schedule an appointment with a counselor at Employee Benefits to discuss retirement and request a retirement application. During the appointment, the counselor will review the completed application and discuss important benefit information with the employee. At this time, decisions need to be made regarding sick and vacation payment, additional tax-deferred annuity deductions and the portability of any additional life insurance. If SURS has not received a copy of the employee's birth certificate and/or marriage license, then these documents should also accompany the application to SURS.

It is also important for employees to communicate with their departments about their retirement plans. This will assist the department in ensuring financial and staffing resources necessary as a result of an employee's retirement. The sooner the department is aware of pending retirement plans, the sooner it can begin preparing.

Thirty days prior to retirement employees should confirm with their employing departments that a resignation/separation form has been processed. As soon as the Employee Records office receives the resignation/separation form, the final payment of vacation and sick time will be calculated. It is important that the payment for payable time appear on the employee's final earnings. This will ensure that there are no delays with SURS calculating the employee's final annuity amount.

Notifying the Employee Benefits office is a very important step in the retirement application process. The Employee Benefits counselor will aid the employee in completing the application accurately, make sure that proper documentation is received by SURS and ensure that final payments are processed on time. This will also help insure that the employee's last days with the University are not spent worrying about possible incomplete documentation and delayed payments.

2002 spring certification period set for March

In March, Central Management Services (CMS) will be sending out dependent certification letters to members whose dependent children are between ages 19 and 23 years old and have student status. The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), an organization that provides electronic verification of student status for schools that participate in its program, will be used again for verifying student status.

There will be certain instances when NSC cannot provide verification of student status. it will not be able to provide verification of student status if the school in which the dependent is enrolled does not participate in NSC's enrollment verify program. Also, NSC cannot verify enrollment as a full-time student if the member has not provided a valid dependent Social Security number to CMS.

Dependents who cannot be verified by NSC will be required to obtain paper documentation of full-time student status from the school in which they are enrolled. Dependent coverage will be terminated if documentation has not been received by the due date provided by CMS but can be reinstated if verification is provided within 30 days of the date of termination. However, if verification is not received until after 30 days, coverage will be reinstated effective the date the documentation was received, and there will be a break in coverage.

If you have any concerns, please call Employee Benefits at 453-6668.

Legislative update on 30-and-Out

In 1997, the Illinois General Assembly approved a phase-in of a 30-and-out retirement eligibility provision for the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). Under this provision, a SURS participant currently can retire without regard to age and without any early retirement reduction penalty when years of service equal 30. The 30-and-out provision will automatically revert to a 35 years of service requirement for eligibility to retire without regard to age at the end of calendar year 2002, unless the General Assembly enacts legislation to extend the 30-and-out provision or make it permanent.

Currently the SURS Omnibus Bill/HB 2370 is awaiting further action in the Illinois General Assembly. This bill contains several items. Item 1 would make permanent the 30-and-out retirement eligibility provision that is currently scheduled to expire at the end of calendar year 2002. Item 2 would create a SURS minimum survivor annuity guarantee. Item 3 would also restore survivor benefits to survivors whose benefits were terminated due to remarriage prior to age 55. Item 4 would further provide for an annual 3 percent adjustment for disability benefits in the same manner as is done for retirement and survivor annuities.

Employees are encouraged to contact their state legislators and voice their opinions concerning this proposed piece of legislation. Following are the names and addresses of several area legislators who may be contacted:

State representatives:
Rep. Mike Bost District 115 300 E. Main St., Suite 19 Carbondale, IL 62901 mikebost@midwestmail.com	Rep. Dan Reitz District 116 128A W. Main Sparta, IL 62286 repreitz@egyptian.net
Rep. Gary F. Forby District 117 P.O. Box 1000 Benton IL, 62812	Rep. James D. Fowler District 118 617 E. Church, Suite 8 Harrisburg, IL 62946

State senators:
Sen. Dave Luechtefeld District 58 700 N. Front P. O. Box 517 Okawville, IL 62271 sendavel@midwest.net	Sen. Larry Woolard District 59 308-B West Plaza Drive Carterville, IL 62918

Are there human resource topics you'd like to see in future "Campus Concerns" columns? Send your suggestions to Mary Ann Martin, Human Resources, Mail Code 6520, or by e-mail to marymart@siu.edu.

March 6, 2002